Thousands Missing in Venezuela After Earthquake Doublet

Northern Venezuela is reeling from one of the most powerful seismic events in over a century after a devastating earthquake doublet struck the densely populated coastal region on June 24, killing at least 235 people and leaving thousands missing. The official death toll, announced by Health Minister Carlos Alvarado, is expected to rise significantly as rescue crews continue searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings.

According to VRT NWS, a website set up to track the missing and shared by the Venezuelan opposition lists over 46,000 unaccounted individuals, though this figure cannot be independently verified. More than 200 people remain trapped in collapsed structures across the affected region.

The Seismic Event

The disaster began at approximately 18:04 local time on June 24, when a magnitude 7.2 foreshock struck 23 kilometers southeast of Yumare, Venezuela. Just 39 seconds later, a magnitude 7.5 mainshock hit 28 kilometers southeast of Yumare, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The US Geological Survey classified the event as a strike-slip rupture along the San Sebastian fault system, part of the complex boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates.

The USGS issued a RED PAGER alert, indicating high casualties and widespread damage are probable. Shaking intensity reached IX (Violent) on the Modified Mercalli Scale, and the agency’s models suggest the death toll could reach thousands, with a significant chance of exceeding 10,000. As of June 25, 138 aftershocks had been recorded, with a greater than 99 percent chance of further magnitude 3-plus aftershocks within the following week.

Widespread Destruction

The coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, bore the brunt of the devastation. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello reported that more than 100 buildings have collapsed in the state, with approximately 70,000 families affected. The parroquias of Caraballeda and Catia La Mar have suffered the highest levels of structural devastation, according to El Universal.

At least 250 buildings have been damaged or destroyed across the region, including eight hospitals, the headquarters of the Venezuelan Red Cross, and the French Embassy. The Simón Bolívar International Airport, the country’s main aviation hub, has been severely damaged and temporarily closed. Widespread power, internet, and telephone outages have hampered rescue efforts.

Eyewitness Account

Ludo Gillis, a Flemish man who has lived in Caracas for more than 40 years, described the terrifying experience to VRT NWS. “Everything was shaking and trembling. We’ve experienced several earthquakes here before, but this was the worst,” he said. “It wasn’t just intense, it also lasted a long time. Usually it’s 10 to 15 seconds, this was 50 seconds. And those 50 seconds felt like 5 minutes. It just wouldn’t end. Very frightening.”

Gillis noted that the situation is far worse along the coast. “Many houses, apartment buildings, and hotels have been completely leveled to the ground,” he said. VRT NWS Latin America correspondent Mattias Tuyls warned that the northern coast is lined with vast slums and poorly constructed housing blocks, raising fears of catastrophic damage in those areas.

A Nation in Crisis

The earthquake has struck a country already in the grip of profound political and economic turmoil. Venezuela has been internationally isolated for years, and in early 2026, the United States conducted a military operation that resulted in the kidnapping of then-President Nicolás Maduro. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s removal, has declared La Guaira a disaster zone and called on businesses to provide heavy machinery for rescue operations.

In a significant geopolitical shift, the US Treasury Department issued a license temporarily lifting sanctions on Venezuela until October 23, 2026, to allow humanitarian aid to flow. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the deployment of rescue teams, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance. International rescue teams from Mexico, Spain, Qatar, and the United Nations have also arrived or are en route.

“What can you do,” Gillis said, reflecting the resilience of Venezuelans. “We just carry on. The economic situation isn’t great and then this comes on top of it. What we mainly need now are reliable professionals to help rebuild the homes.”

International Response and Recovery

The European Union has activated its mechanism for assistance in large-scale emergencies, with EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib coordinating aid. Pope Leo XIV has sent an initial €100,000 in emergency assistance. Belgium’s B-FAST emergency response team is discussing possible aid deployment, and no Belgian casualties have been reported among the approximately 220 registered Belgian residents in Venezuela.

Tom Fletcher, the UN’s Director for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination, has called for “a massive joint effort” to assist Venezuela. The Venezuelan government has lifted restrictions on X (formerly Twitter), which had been blocked since August 2024 under Maduro, to allow information sharing during the emergency.

What Comes Next

With the official death toll still climbing and thousands unaccounted for, the full scale of the tragedy remains unknown. The combination of Venezuela’s devastated infrastructure, weakened healthcare system, and ongoing political crisis will make recovery exceptionally challenging. The temporary lifting of US sanctions offers a narrow window for international assistance, but the long-term reconstruction of homes, hospitals, and critical infrastructure will require sustained global commitment and investment.